Why do YOU want a Slate?

[NMNeil]

I love the basic simplicity that is no longer found in any vehicle models. I don't care if it is gas or EV or hybrid. I wish Honda would bring back the simple Element or make a Ridgeline without all the technological bells and whistles. Crank windows got my attention. I love the "bring your own tech." I hope the Slate becomes wildly successful to send a message to other car makers. Simple is better for many of us. It is an untapped market.

One of the simplest cars ever, the VW bug, sold over 21.5 million worldwide and nearly 5 million in the US, and it still holds the record of the best selling car ever made.
I'm sure if they made it today in it's original air cooled form, it would sell.

 

[JImmy]

Says it ALL.

 

[SichuanHot]

Back to basics philosophy and potential hackability to suit my needs

 

[4hotshoes]

One of the simplest cars ever, the VW bug, sold over 21.5 million worldwide and nearly 5 million in the US, and it still holds the record of the best selling car ever made.
I'm sure if they made it today in it's original air cooled form, it would sell.

My second car was a 1965 Beetle with a crank-back sunroof, chrome-moon hubcaps, and whitewall tires. I don't think the air-cooled engine would NOT be good for today's traffic speed. I had to park on a hill to start the car most of the time. It was a beauty.

 

[AeroWolf]

I technically have my truck already. I am interested in the slate due to being a potentially fun vehicle on a budget.

Easy to modify for me.
EV for lower maintenance
Doesn't have complex interior/software.

 

[Twisted Santa]

I went to a Taco Festival yesterday that was held at a warplane and auto museum. They had a 1948 Crosley pickup truck that really gave some Slate vibes. It pretty much had everything I‘m looking for in my next vehicle: a simple 2-door truck. The Slate will have it beat by having a frunk, a bigger bed, EV charging, and the ability to survive a 20 mph fender bender. The Crosley did include a sweet AM radio with a dash mounted speaker, however.

 

[sodamo]

My Slate will be my low/no cost daily driver. Suitable for most of my truck needs, hopefully, a topper for my dogs, sve me $100+/month gas. Will keep my Tundra in reserve at least a while, maybe just keep for son to inherit In too near future.

 

[Kastnerd]

This is similar for myself. I like small trucks.

 

[Luxrage]

Not arguing, but isn't Slate's position that a full up infotainment system screen and the commensurate transfer of normal physically-controlled functions to it as more expensive than physical buttons due to the need to build and maintain a custom software suite for the required CANBUS?

I'm sure for Slate or any smaller single-vehicle manufacturer, it wouldn't be worth the cost to start from scratch. But for a larger automaker, I'd guess once you built the touch-screen software and CANBUS interface out for one vehicle you'd be designing it into the whole fleet on then next refresh. Just need UX design for each car's touchscreen layout / etc. Eliminate radio and HVAC button redesigns through your whole line with software and shared parts.

The most obvious example would be Tesla just putting a giant Tablet in each vehicle and tailoring it to every car, but the most esoteric one that comes to mind was Toyota snagging the 1st Gen Prius information screen and repurposing the software for the 100 series Landcruiser / LX470's HVAC system and radio. It still had buttons around it for navigating menus but it probably saved them oodles of money in the long run converting it over to it (and the Avalon at some point) without starting from scratch.

 

[tgpii]

Ask me after june. LOL. Is it a want or need? I currently drive a 2023 Chevy Bolt. It was the Cheapest EV at the time. $27,000 out the door then an $4000 state rebate. I didn't make enough for the fed discount. I make alot more now. I hope the price under cuts the 2027 Hyundai Vue, Chevy bolt, and Nissan leaf.

 

[atx_ev]

My car is a 2010 tundra which is completely solid, but it is too big. I wanted the tacoma but gas prices were really high and the tacoma was actually more expensive than the tundra and harder to get.

Got my daughter a 2023 chevy bolt euv a few months ago. She is visiting colleges with my wife so Im driving her bolt

Went to topgolf today and there were plenty of spots but they were tiny because both sides often times had two giant trucks. The bolt could easily slide into any of the spots. The tundra would have fit into them, but with no room to open the doors. There is also the risk of bumping side view mirrors.

The slate is 5 inches longer than the bolt EUV but around the same width. The tundra fits in my garage with about 3 inches to spare. The bolt fits and I can walk all around it.

 

[KevinRS]

Yeah, parking is an issue. In my area, most places actually have sufficiently roomy parking spaces, but multiple trucks can eat up that space. I saw at one point someone got a ticket for parking over the line, at the county courthouse, which was only built in 2004, their vehicle was a hummer, so one of the biggest vehicles on the road at the time, but they were over both lines, left and right, at a county facility, ticketed by county sheriff, easy ticket to fight and get dropped with a photo of the vehicle in the space. For some reason that relatively new parking lot had among the smallest parking spaces in the area.

 

[Luxrage]

I'll give an additional reason. I'm sick and tired of the hail around here. Would love a composite body panel vehicle that could potentially stand up to it more than the paper thin sheet metal of modern cars. My Slate would pretty much live outside 24/7.

 

[KingCarlosXIII]

I want an electric truck; not too big, not too small. I only need enough bed space to do yard work and general DIY around the house. My only child is about to graduate and leave home. So I no longer need more than two seats. Price. Price. Price... "It's the economy, Stupid!"

 

[RedJoker]

I want an electric vehicle. Ideally, it would be an electric minivan, but the cargo version of the slate might work. We do a lot of animal rescue and since we'll be hauling a lot of animals, I'm not interested in anything "nice". The small size makes it easy to park in garages and small lots.

I really like our transit connect but would love it more if it was electric. It's getting up there in miles so I'm keeping an eye out for the next goater-toter. No carpet, vinyl seats, the only options we got was the cargo light and a trailer hitch.